Teen with traumatic past finds hope looking for an adoptive family

OKLAHOMA CITY - McKayla is an avid reader with a caregiver's heart. In fact, the 16-year-old is hoping to deliver babies one day.

"I just like helping people, and I either want to be that or a registered nurse because I like putting people first,” McKayla said.

One thing that stands out about McKayla is her infectious laugh.

From the outside, McKayla doesn't have a care in the world, but life has been full of tragedies for the young lady. Her father is in prison, and she's not allowed to speak to her mother. Instead, she leans on her former foster-mother she's known since she was 9 years old.

"She's not really my mom, but my biological mom, I can't have contact with her, so that's where my foster mom comes in but, when people call her my foster mom, it gets me upset because I look at her like my mother,” McKayla said.

Plus, she is dealing with bullies at school.

"They just say I'm worthless and I'm not going to amount to anything, but I pretty much amounted to everything because my past was pretty much a struggle. It was pretty much a roller coaster, and I obviously got through it because I wouldn't be sitting here,” she said.

She said she used to cut herself to relieve some of the pain of depression.

"Family issues, problems like in and out of DHS, in and out of foster care," she said.

Fortunately, she's a resilient teen who made a promise to herself to focus on the future.

Now, she wants a family in her life and a brighter future.

Visit www.okdhs.org for more information on adopting a child or call 405-767-2955.